cara

dear

adjective KAH-rah Rare

Origin: From Latin cara, feminine of carus (dear, beloved).

Also means

expensive

Usage Note

Cara is the feminine form of caro (dear) and carries two distinct senses depending on context: affectionate ('dear, beloved' — cara amica, dear friend) and costly (questo ristorante è caro, this restaurant is expensive). The double meaning is a common source of wordplay. As a form of address, cara is warm and informal; the formal equivalent is gentile in written correspondence.

Examples

"Questa borsa è bella ma troppo cara."

Natural Translation

This bag is beautiful but too expensive.

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